Dates and Prices

Dates, Prices and Logistics

The Luberon Experience is a seven-night trip, from Saturday afternoon until the following Saturday morning.

2017 and 2018 Schedule

We offer trips in May and September, the two best times of year to enjoy Provence.

2017 Trips – still spots available!

We had a wonderful time with our three groups in May. Now we’re looking forward to welcoming two groups in September.

September 9 – 16 (full)

September 16 – 23 (two openings)

Cancellations are also possible, and we do run waiting lists for any trips that are full.

2018 Trips – now booking!

May 12 – 19

May 19 – 26

September 8 – 15

September 15 – 22

September 22 – 29

Our groups have a maximum of 14 people, and our trips often fill many months in advance. Call or email us as soon as possible to book your preferred week.

For those who like to plan ahead: we’ll announce our 2019 schedule on March 1, 2018. Join our mailing list to receive our annual schedule announcement, as well as two or three newsletters a year.

2017 and 2018 Prices

Single occupancyof a double room: $3,650

Double occupancy: $3,150 per person

Triple occupancy is also possible. Contact us for pricing information.

Our price represents an outstanding value, with almost all expenses for the week included:

7 nights accommodation in a charming, very authentic three-star hotel in the village of Bonnieux

7 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 5 dinners (including wine of our choice)

All admissions and activities

Personalized support from Kathy and Charley

Detailed trip planning guide

Local transportation during the week, including pick-up and drop-off at designated meeting point

All gratuities

Many extras

You’re responsible for air transportation, transportation to and from the meeting point, meals not included (one lunch and two dinners), and personal expenses like phone calls, laundry or special beverages.

All our tours are guaranteed, and we don’t have a minimum number of participants to confirm a trip. The price of your trip is always guaranteed at the time of your reservation, and there are no additional surcharges, hidden costs or charges for optional activities.

Deposits and Payments

The initial deposit is $600 per person, payable within seven days of your reservation. The balance is due 90 days prior to the first day of the trip. Payments are usually made by personal check, paid in US dollars. We also accept payment by Pay Pal, which allows you to pay by credit card. For international participants we also accept international wire transfers; contact us for more details.

Cancellation Fees

91+ days (from the first day of the trip): $250 per person

61-90 days: 25% of the total price

31-60 days: 50% of the total price

0-30 days: 100% of the total price

Our cancellation policy is applied consistently and exceptions are not made for any reason. However, if you notify us of a cancellation more than 90 days in advance, you may transfer your full deposit to another scheduled trip with no cancellation fee.

We strongly recommend travel insurance that includes trip cancellation coverage to protect against financial loss due to certain cancellations and other trip interruptions. Insure My Trip is an excellent online resource to identify and purchase travel insurance that meets your personal needs.

Travel Logistics

We meet on Saturday afternoon at the Avignon TGV station, normally at 2:30 pm. We strongly recommend arriving in Europe at least one day before our week begins to allow time for “jet lag” adjustment and to provide a buffer for any travel delays. Many of our travelers enjoy time in Paris, Aix-en-Provence or Avignon before meeting us.

We return to the Avignon TGV station the following Saturday morning, allowing for a departure after 9:45 am.

For bookings on the French train system (and many other European countries), we highly recommend Trainline. Their system is in English and very easy to use. Reservations typically open 90 days in advance, and if you book early, meaningful discounts are usually available. You can pay with a credit card and print your tickets at home. For more information on the French train system, see Kathy’s blog post Train Travel in France: Planning Your Trip & Buying Tickets.

Travel Support

Although many travelers enjoy planning their own trips, some people prefer to turn the arrangements over to an experienced travel consultant. If you’re looking for a travel consultant to help plan the rest of your trip to France, we recommend Sandy McDowell of France Journeys. Please contact Sandy directly to make arrangements for her services.

European Experiences trips and Travelers Circle

In 2009 we expanded our offerings to include similar Experience trips to other destinations in Europe. Many of the people who join us on our other trips first traveled with us in Provence. We also now offer a “Return to the Luberon” week, a trip for “alumni” travelers who want to experience more of Provence.

Our European Experiences schedule varies every year and has included the Périgord (Dordogne) in southwest France, Alsace in northeastern France, the Cotswolds in England, the Chianti region of Tuscany, the Salzkammergut of Austria, and the Bavarian Alps of Germany. In addition to our Luberon Experience weeks, in 2018 we’re offering trips in Chianti (Tuscany), Alsace (France), and Cornwall and the Cotswolds (England). We’re also excited to host a new 12-day European Christmas Experience trip in November and December 2017. We hope you’ll visit our European Experiences website at www.european-experiences.com to learn more about our other trips.

Once you’ve completed your first Experience trip, we’ll welcome you as a member of the European Experiences’ Travelers Circle. Our Travelers Circle offers special benefits for our “alumni” travelers, including 10% discounts on future trips, 5% discounts for traveling companions, and an opportunity for early booking of each year’s trips. Read more about our Travelers Circle here.

Additional Information

More detailed information about our trips, logistics, and policies is available for each of our trips. Many questions will be answered in our FAQs, but please contact us if you need more information.

Responsibility Statement and Liability Disclaimer

European Experiences and its owners/employees do not own or operate any entity which provides, or is to provide, goods or services to any European Experiences tour, including accommodations, transportation, meals, activities, or other services. Because European Experiences does not exercise any control over the personnel, equipment, or operations of these suppliers, European Experiences is not liable for any negligent or willful act or failure to act of any such third person, or of any other third party.

European Experiences is not responsible for losses, injury, damages or expenses of any kind due to illness, weather, strikes, hostilities, wars, terrorist acts, acts of nature, local laws or other such causes.

European Experiences is not responsible for any baggage or personal effects, including any and all electronic equipment, of any individual participating in any European Experiences tour.

Individual travelers are responsible for purchasing a travel insurance policy, if desired, that will cover certain trip cancellations and interruptions, emergency medical evacuation, loss of luggage or personal effects, and other coverage. European Experiences strongly encourages individual travelers to purchase travel insurance.

Bonjour!

We’re Kathy and Charley Wood, founders and leaders of The Luberon Experience and
European Experiences. We’re passionate about Provence, and we’d love to share it with you.

2017 Trips

We had a great time in Provence in May and are busy getting ready for our September trips. Don't just dream of Provence... join us! We still have a few spots open!